BJP demands ''white paper'' from UPA govt on price hike

Patna, Apr 9 (UNI) BJP national president and former Union Minister Rajnath Singh today demanded the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre to issue ''white paper'' on price hike.

Addressing the ''Sankalp Sammelan'' of the party workers at the histroic Gandhi Maidain here, Mr Singh exhorted the NDA supporters to grab all 40 seats of the Lok Sabha in the state during the next general elections.

The BJP leader lambasted the Congress for the steep hike in the prices of essential commodities and demanded to publish a white paper in which he also asked the UPA to mention the steps initiated by the previous NDA government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee in controlling prices.

''Apprehending exposure of the corrupt practices and other irregularities, the Centre would not dare issue the white paper,'' he said and claimed that during the six-year tenure of Mr Vajpayee, the prices were under control.

He alleged that the prices went up beyond control whenever the Congress came to power.

Criticising the UPA for the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission, Mr Singh said it was just an eyewash and the bureaucrats and the Army were dissatisfied with it.

Out of frustration, the Army officers were even resigning, he alleged and asked the government to review it immediately.

He accused the Congress-led UPA government of dividing society on religious lines, saying that it was the Congress which conducted the religion-based survey through the Sachchar Committee and based on its recommendations, it proposed reservation for the poor Muslims.

Such provisions were aimed at consolidating the Congress's vote bank and also in sheer violation of the Constitution, he alleged.

He said such recommendations would not be implemented once the NDA returned to power at the Centre.

''The NDA government would give reservation to the poor irrespective of differences based on caste, creed, gender and religion,'' Mr Singh added.